I think it is. I have heard people rip on it, but not many. I love to swim and I know it uses a lot of energy because nothing makes me feel tired and hungry like swimming. There are also exercises you can do in the water. It can be used for cardio, anaerobic work outs, any type of interval. The water provides some resistence too.

For a 175 lb. man swimming 30 minutes burns 700 to 800 calories. This is because of the resistence of the water. There are also water exercises and I have no idea what they burn, but I would think it is about the same as regular swimming. If you increase the pace of the swimming to make it anaerobic, it will burn a lot more fat then staying in the aerobic range. Interval training uses a lot of energy and you can adapt that to the water also.

By the way, I am talking vigorous lap swimming, not just splashing around in the pool.

I don't swim much, for one thing, I'm not into anything that puts me in the sun for a long time, and I don't have good pool access. BUT..sometimes when I am traveling I am lucky enough to get a hotel with a nice long lap pool, so I'll give it a go..and I'll tell you what, it kicks my BUTT.

And I bet if Ryan did laps for about 20 minutes, he'd change his mind about swimming <g>

Plus.. it almost goes without saying that the more weight you have to lose, the better swimming is. For the very overweight, all that walking, running, treadmilling stuff is just so hard on the knees and back. In the water, the impact issues all disappear.

And seriously, I've never done anything that made my heart pound so hard, and made me gasp for breath like some kind of asthmatic! it's TOUGH.

Well, I really can't say for a fact, but I do know from personal experience, that swimming, along with weights and riding my bike 2 miles to, and 2 miles back from the lake when I was a kid,in combination with a cleaned up diet, I dropped a lot of fat hich I'd gained after I busted up my knee and spent two months in a cast. Just looking at it, I would say it was a combo, but swimming was in the equation (laps) so I wouldn't count it out.
Also, although it isn't related to fat loss, someone brought up the subject of water exercises. My step mother uses them all the time, and they seem to do well by her, and because of the water resistance, they are very kind to her joints. I also know some O lifters that (don't laugh, they swear by it) do their pulling moves off the ground in a pol to get the water resistance into the mix.
Tim

Hey Ryan, a bit OT, but I know you are in Davis Ca. Back when I grew up, we used to bisit my cousins in St Helena (Napa Valley), and Uncle Russ would drive us over to Putah Creek all the time, fishing in the morning, swimming during the day. This was in the late 50's, so I have no idea what it's like now, they my have doze it off and turned it into a parking lot for all I know.
Tim

I am always suprised to see the jump rope left out of cardio alternatives. Maybe because it takes a few weeks to get efficient. I been using it as an alternative to running just to mix stuff up a little and it's cardio benefits have been noticable among other things. I dislike cardio and especially hate having to "gear-up" to go do it. I stick mostly to running and mix it up with jump rope because it's quick and gone.

I have very little time to do ANY exercise at all - would running on the spot for fifteen minutes 4 times a week be anything similar to running the same time on a treadmill?? it's got to be better than nothing!!?????

I have no idea, but I see no reason why they would be much different. You're running in place on a treadmill. I would think the difference would come into play only if you cranked in an incline on the treadmill.
Tim

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum